


Lukanette February 2020

by feminaexlux



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst and Feels, Awkward is my jam, Chat!Luka, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Digital Art, F/M, Lukanette February, Lukanette February 2020, One Shot Collection, Songfic, after season 3, cat!Luka, lmfeb2020, lukanette endgame, so spoilers, vlogging - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 19,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22562317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feminaexlux/pseuds/feminaexlux
Summary: My prompts forLukanette February 2020!
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 75
Kudos: 220





	1. Mine

**Author's Note:**

> this is what i've been doing in the meantime i guess

Luka was playing a song on his guitar that wasn’t his. He played other people’s music all the time. He wasn’t sure if he ever really made anything from scratch, from his own head and musical understanding. It came from listening to other people’s music and other people’s hearts.

Music came from people’s hearts. That’s what he claimed, anyway, and people liked hearing that sort of explanation. It didn’t make any difference in the end if he explained that he was bad with words because his brain sometimes went too fast for his mouth, and that music was the way he communicated without stumbling over himself. To him, notes represented concepts. Verses represented conversations (perhaps a bit one-sided). A song represented everything about a topic he could cram into 5 minutes.

When he did actually talk using his own voice instead of talking through his instruments, it was after he had rehearsed what he wanted to say at least 5 times in his head. At least the important stuff. He had panicked a little bit when Marinette admitted that he told her, word for word, the same - what, _confession_? - he gave her at the TVi studio as when he was akumatized as Silencer. What other secrets did his counterpart spill?

Anyway, that was in the past. He was playing Marinette’s melody. It was her song, the song he thought of when he thought of her. It played in his head all the time.

“What does your heart sound like?” Marinette asked after he finished, taking small bites of the blue and pink ice cream she got from Andre. He played the classic _lub-dub_ pattern on his acoustic as a reply. Marinette rolled her eyes at him. “No, silly, like the melody you played for me when we first met. You played what was in my heart.”

“It’s nothing special,” Luka answered. “Why do you ask?”

“I wanna know more about you.” Well, that was pretty direct. Marinette blushed and partially turned away from him. “Uh, I mean, I want to know what you think you sound like? You’ve got so much music in your life and I just wanted to know you a bit better? But like, in your own way.”

He smiled and looked down at his guitar. “Alright. I think it’s something like this,” he said, flexing his fingers and placing the pick against the strings. He played something a little rough at the edges, a little hesitant, a little somber, but still powerful and evocative. That was… pretty close to what he had in mind about himself. “It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.”

Marinette smiled up at him. “It sounded really nice. I like it.”

“It’s not as good as yours.”

“Can you play it side by side? Mine and yours?”

He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow, but played both. “See? The first part’s better.”

“I actually liked them together like that. Can you play that again?” He played them again and listened to the whole song this time. “Yeah, those totally go together,” she laughed. “What do you think?”

He played the two parts together a third time. “It… does seem nice together,” he said cautiously.

“I think they’re better together! The first part is… soft but a little sad, maybe? But then the second part comes and it makes it all stronger and uplifting. I think those pieces sound like they belong.”

“Huh. I didn’t know if they’d work out like that. Seems like they do.”

“Do you think _people_ can work out like that?” Marinette asked shyly, a blush reappearing on her cheeks.

He paused, thinking of the right words to say. “People can be more complicated than that. But I think yes.” He let his hands drift on the guitar and felt the strings press against his calloused fingertips. “If they want it.”

Marinette bit her lip. “Do… do you want that? W-with me? Maybe we’re just like the songs and we… fit together?”

His fingers slid down the strings, the scraping noise covered his small gasp. “Do _you_?”

She set her ice cream aside and scooted closer. “Yes.”

He set his guitar aside and kissed her.


	2. Time

“ _Psst, Luka!_ ”

Luka looked up from his last delivery and looked around. He swore he heard someone calling his name. He saw a red-haired woman looking directly at him, gesturing at him to come to her. He had no idea who that was.

Did stranger danger still apply when he was 16 and had a decently sturdy acoustic in his bike basket for weaponizing? He headed over but maintained some distance. If he was going to get kidnapped it’d be embarrassing as hell. “Hey, Couffaine,” the lady said. Well, she knew _of_ him. “Stop farting around and get a move on with Marinette, would you?” 

He stepped back, pulling his bike with him. “I’m going now.” He didn’t exactly turn his back on the lady.

“No, no, wait,” she said, running up to him. He moved faster and got on his bike and pedaled away. “Crap.” She disappeared into thin air.

Then she reappeared right in front of him, dressed in a white and blue bunny costume. He braked hard, swerving, and nearly crashed into a tree but she pulled him safely off his bike by his arm. “Alright, trying this again. Luka, I’m Bunnyx, You don’t know me because I’m from the future. Long story short, King Monkey and I have a bet to see which ‘ship is best. I bet on you, and I make sure my bets are _solid_.”

“What… are you talking about?” He thought about yelling but panicked quietly instead. He pulled his arm away.

“Just know that Ladybug seems to be _waaay_ more effective when you’re on the team than when you’re not, in the fights we’ve seen. Plus you two have got some crazy cute chemistry!”

“Can I go?” Luka asked nervously. “I’m gonna go now.”

Bunnyx looked at her watch. “Yeah, this is the right time.” She disappeared again.

He checked his bike over and booked it home faster than usual when it turned out alright. Jules, Rose, and Mylene were posing on the stage for some reason, dressed in Jagged gear he’d never seen before. Rose waved at him and yelled out “Hi Luka! Are you okay? You look stressed out.”

“Had a run in with a crazy lady.”

“Oh no!” Mylene gasped. “What happened?”

“Some… woman calling herself Bunnyx said she came from the future. She was wearing some ridiculous bunny costume… and she nearly made me crash into a tree.”

“Wh-what?!” Luka turned a bit more to his right and was a little surprised to realize Marinette was on board. She looked extremely shocked for some reason.

Luka frowned. “I swear I’m not making this up.”

Marinette shook herself and ran up to him. “O-oh that’s not… I mean… are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It was… weird.”

“Sucks, Lu. Maybe you should report her to the cops?” Juleka mumbled.

Luka frowned again. “She kind of disappeared. Into thin air. I’d sound crazy,” he sighed.

“Was it an akuma?!” Rose asked shrilly.

“I don’t… think so? Anyway, I’m fine I guess. What’re you up to?”

“Marinette can explain!” Mylene laughed.

Marinette turned on her heel to face the girls. “Um, yeah, so Jagged Stone asked me to make some prototypes of new shirts and hoodies and accessories for his new style line so… here we are! I’m taking pictures for Penny!”

“That’s really cool, Marinette,” Luka said, his eyes wide. “The new stuff looks awesome and I think Jagged’s gonna feel the same. You’re really talented.”

“Th-thanks,” she said shyly, blushing.

* * *

A few hours later after the girls wrapped up and Luka was relaxing with his guitar in a lounge chair at the top deck, Ladybug dropped in for an impromptu visit and nearly gave Luka a heart attack. “Ladybug?!”

“Hi there, sorry about that. I… heard from a friend that you got visited by Bunnyx? She’s friendly but a little… confusing sometimes.”

“Oh. Is Bunnyx another Miraculous user?”

“Yes, but from the future. I don’t have much contact with her, actually. I wanted to ask if she told you anything in particular?”

He wasn’t going to mention that comment about Marinette. Or chemistry. Or ships. Or bets. “Something about you working more effectively if I’m on the team.”

Ladybug contemplated this. “I wonder why she didn’t tell me directly. Well, thank you, Luka. Then I should ask if I can count on you to help if I need it?”

“… Of course.” He probably should have mentioned the bet.

* * *

Oddly enough, Ladybug _did_ work better when Viperion was on the team, even if there wasn’t a need to use his Second Chance ability. He was just as tactical and clever as she was in dealing with akumas. She realized that he was saving her _so much time_ … She’d have to thank him for being such a good partner. Of course, having saved so much time Ladybug immediately spent it chatting with Luka post-akuma. He was sweet, brave, and apparently worried a whole lot over Marinette who kept disappearing whenever an akuma attack happened. “I know she can take care of herself, but I still get anxious when she’s heading out to get you,” he told her. “She always volunteers to run out there.”

“I always protect her and get her somewhere safe so please don’t worry. I’m glad you care for her,” Ladybug said warmly. “You’re a good friend.” Ladybug didn’t miss the frown that graced Luka’s face. “You aren’t friends?”

“… It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Thanks, Ladybug.”

Her earrings beeped insistently and she took off, but not without wondering if she’d… upset Luka? Somehow? She’d need to fix that ASAP if that was the case.

* * *

She ran down the steps to the crew deck at the same time Luka was coming up, so of course she tripped in her haste to stop and collided into him, sending them both tumbling to the floor. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

“Think so… Are you okay?” He asked in reply with a small wince. She was on top of him and he had cradled her head against him. She got off of him and helped him back up, thoroughly embarrassed.

“Yep! I was running back because Ladybug told me you were worried about me,” Marinette sighed. “I’m so, so sorry. I’m majorly clumsy.”

“I’m okay. I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Here, I was… I was also bringing this for you,” she said with a small voice, pulling out a blue jacket hoodie from her backpack. It was embroidered with a large “Rock Giant” logo on the back and had lightning details running down its arms. He noticed it was all hand-stitched.

“Did you make this yourself?” Luka asked, holding it up with a sense of awe. “This is amazing!”

“Y-yeah!” Marinette laughed, turning pink. “It’s yours, by the way! It’s one of a kind, j-just like you!”

Luka’s eyes went wide. “You didn’t have to get me anything. I seriously don’t know how to repay you.”

“It’s a gift,” she smiled. “I… I was feeling like maybe I haven’t been a good friend recently.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry I made you think that. Did I do anything for you to feel that way?”

“Er, I… um. I just… thought that I made you… mad. Maybe?” Luka shook his head. “Ladybug m-might have mentioned that you… uh. Didn’t think we were really friends?”

He shook his head again, took off his current jacket and hoodie liner and put on Marinette’s gift. “I’ve always liked you, Marinette. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re talented,” he paused, hesitating. “You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. I’m glad to be your friend.” The new jacket was soft, comfortable, and a perfect fit. He noticed that an inner breast pocket had her signature “M” with a blossom motif. He smiled to himself. Maybe she didn’t do it on purpose, but it was all too fitting that he’d carry a reminder of her hidden over his heart.

“It… it sounds like you’re going to say ‘ _But_ …’”

“But I like you more than you like me.” Luka smiled. “This is an awesome jacket, Marinette. Thanks.”

“I like you! I like you lots,” she said nervously, a blush crawling over her cheeks as she looked at the floor. “Maybe even more than Adrien,” she mumbled quietly to herself. “I’m brave, huh?”

“Hmm?”

She picked her head up and looked back at him with a determined expression. She closed the distance and planted her lips against his after pulling him down by his collar.

They heard a disgusted sigh behind them and both spun around, Luka and Marinette blushing like crazy. Juleka rolled her eyes at them. “It’s about time.”


	3. Candy Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... some of the prompts I'm answering as art pieces but I keep thinking this looks less and less good the more I look at it...


	4. Chocolate

Marinette was crying. One second she was laughing at a video she was showing Luka of a puppy and a kitten exchanging kisses and boops during a break in band practice, and the next she burst into tears. Luka’s brain immediately went into damage control, assessing the situation.

The girl was upset, but seemed unhurt physically, the video didn’t have any jumpscares, he didn’t know of any triggers Marinette had, and she’d shown him similar cute animal videos, he for sure hadn’t said anything and he was just… well, watching the video with her. He was pretty sure he didn’t smell, it didn’t seem like he did anything wrong unless she decided right then and there he was the ultimate demonspawn and/or he was too close or too weird or maybe doing nothing was the problem? _What happened?_

He defaulted to one strategy he learned from managing Juleka, Rose, any friend going through some tough times, and his mom whenever she watched sappy rom-coms. He wrapped Marinette up in a blanket and set her on his bed, set a box of tissues next to her, then headed into the kitchen to grab cookies, ice cream, and chocolate.

Marinette knew it was ridiculous. _Utterly ridiculous!_ , her inner Chloe screamed at her. She was still quietly crying as she watched Luka lay out snacks on a table next to his bed. “Sorry, we’re out of ice cream,” he said, chagrined. “Let me know if you need anything. I’ll… leave you here? I’ll be nearby so you can just yell out anything and I’ll get it. Or try to.”

She sniffed, wiped her tears, then started laughing uncontrollably. “I’m sorry, Luka. I’m fine, really, thank you,” she managed between laughs. _Utterly ridiculous!_ She took in a deep breath and calmed down. “I’m not kicking you out of your own room!”

“Take whatever time you need,” he said worriedly.

“No, no, please stay. I just… had something in my eyes?” The look he gave her was unconvinced. “Really, I just had a… a small uh, a small sinus infection! I’m fine now, I swear.” He remained unconvinced. Marinette sighed. “Okay, okay. I-I-I’ll explain,” she said, deflated. “But… first I wanted to say I appreciate all the stuff you’re doing.”

“I’m glad. So,” he said gently, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. “What happened?”

Marinette took in another deep breath. “Okay. Don’t… don’t hate me, please? I was thinking about Adrien.”

“Why would I hate you for that?” Luka asked, concerned.

“Well, I… I-I’m just, you know, I’m a big dummy for being hung up over a boy that doesn’t _like-like_ me. I was just so… comfortable and happy and relaxed around you and I’m never like that around Adrien! I’m always so nervous and I always feel so, so stupid and I keep thinking about how unfair it is!”

“You want to be nervous around me?” Luka joked lightly.

“No! No, I like being around you! I hate feeling nervous.”

He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “I get it. You like him and you’re trying really hard to impress him and get him to notice you. It takes a lot of… effort, right?” Marinette nodded and looked at the floor, trying to not be bothered by the fact that Luka seemed to be talking from personal experience to be so _accurate_. “It’ll get easier over time.” Marinette looked up at Luka, who just smiled back reassuringly. “It gets better. Trust me.”

“I do trust you,” she said in a small voice. “I always have.” He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. She hugged him back.

A thought came lapping up at the edge of her mind like an ocean wave. Then she got hit with a tsunami of realizations.

  * she really needed that hug
  * she truly _did_ trust Luka, pretty much entirely
  * she trusted him because she loved him
  * _that_ love didn’t make her feel like crap
  * wait, she _loved_ him?
  * yes, yes she did and she still loved Adrien too but wow Luka _noticed_ the things she did and felt and wanted and he _understood_ and still gave her space and even _brought_ _her snacks  
_
  * did he know she noticed the things _he_ did?
  * he pulled away from the hug and it made her feel kind of sad
  * he knew she loved Adrien and was obsessed with Adrien and Luka was fine with it because it was just a part of Marinette and he’d all but said he loved her after Silencer and apparently he could tolerate _all_ the parts including the super lame parts
  * if he loved(?) her and she loved him then why hadn’t anything _happened?_
  * because she was obsessed with Adrien and Luka didn’t pressure her
  * she really didn’t want to cry about boys ever again
  * she… didn’t have to, if she could… maybe… put her “effort” into being with Luka?
  * love wasn’t something she could turn _off_ , but it was something she could turn _up_
  * she trusted that out of everyone, Luka Couffaine would be able to handle _all_ of Marinette Dupain-Cheng
  * she really, really hoped Luka still liked her or this next part would be brutal and she might literally die



Luka had unwrapped a chocolate for himself and popped it in his mouth. He held out another chocolate for Marinette, waiting patiently as she was treading the waters of her mental torrent. She smiled, reaching out to take the chocolate from his hand and held her hand hovering above his.

“Um, can I ask… if you think, maybe, you would kind of… Nnngh.” She sighed, frustrated. She took the chocolate from his hand.

He laughed. “Hey, it’s just me. You can ask me anything.” He squeezed her shoulder again and her heart did a little flip.

She pushed herself to get the words out of her mouth and blurted out a “Would it be okay if I kissed you?”

“Where?” He blinked but she noticed that his cheeks and ears and neck went red pretty quickly. He recoiled at his own question and facepalmed, covering his eyes. “You don’t have to-” He felt something warm press up against his lips and he pressed back only to hear Marinette giggle beside him. He lowered his hand and saw he was kissing a piece of chocolate.

He didn’t have enough time to be disappointed because Marinette replaced the chocolate with her lips.


	5. Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette’s letting her hair down so she can get colored tips like the Couffaine siblings 🧡

Marinette: “I’ve never dyed my hair before… it’s a little um… scary? I guess?”

Luka: “Jules has done my hair for years. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.”


	6. Cherry

Marinette pursed her lips at the ice cream cone she got from André. “André, can… you tell me what the parts are again?”

“Of course, my dear! _Peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes. Eat this, my dear, and your love will materialize!_ “

“What… does the cherry represent?”

“A cherry on top represents love, my little one.”

_Peach pink lips_? _Mint like his eyes_? Peaches and mint were a weird combo anyway. The two ice creams together didn’t match either of the boys Marinette had her eyes on. Adrien didn’t have _peach pink lips_. Luka didn’t have _mint green eyes_. Was there a third contender?! Ugh, as if Marinette’s love life wasn’t hard enough.

Wait, was this third contender like… a blend of Adrien and Luka? Oh my gosh how… um, absolutely _mind-blowing_ would that be?

Marinette realized she was holding up the line behind her. André today was located on a very narrow section of a pedestrian bridge. She shuffled off awkwardly and sat down at a nearby park, staring at the slowly melting ice cream.

Why did she keep getting _this_ particular ice cream combo? She sighed and ate the cherry first. _Cherries on top represent love_. Love, huh? What _kind_ of love was it? Romantic? She mentally crossed her fingers and hoped so hard for it to be _romantic_.

She got an alert on her phone and checked it out, eating a scoop each of the mint and peach. It was actually kind of growing on her, that flavor combo. “What?!” She yelled out at no one in particular. There was an akuma attack? Right nO **W**?! Ugh, well, this day was going _spectacularly_.

* * *

Her Lucky Charm was a plastic snake. Ladybug rolled her eyes. _Thanks, Tikki_ , she thought. She scanned the area again and double checked if it might not be a call-out for Viperion, but nothing registered. Alright, the akuma was pretty tricky and… unpredictable, maybe Viperion really could help out. “Hey kitty! I need to call in a friend!”

“Got it, ‘bug, I’ll cover for us!”

“Thanks! I’ll be right back.”

Ladybug ran toward the last known location of the Couffaine houseboat. She had tamped down a slight sigh of relief as she knew for sure Chat Noir didn’t have _peach pink lips_.

* * *

Viperion dove at her and rolled them both out of the way of an incoming blast. “He takes at least three seconds to charge up another round. He also protects his right arm way more than his left so I think the akumatized object is hidden in his right sleeve. I was almost able to get it one time when you and Chat Noir made him turn down the next street.” Ladybug just stared at Viperion. He turned his head toward her with concern. “Ladybug? Are you alright?”

Ladybug just kept gaping, opening and closing her mouth with no sound coming out until she stuttered out “M-mint green eyes… and peach p-p-pink lips?”

* * *

After an embarrassing attempt at controlling her emotions, Ladybug wrapped up the akuma fight with Chat Noir and Viperion and did her Miraculous Ladybugs. Then she hastily left the scene with Viperion and recovered the snake Miraculous from Luka, who stopped her from yo-yoing away. “Wait, Ladybug, are you alright? You got… quiet during the end.”

“Oh! I’m worry. Don’t okay!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

Her earrings beeped. “Yeah, gotta row before I turn into a pusheen!”

* * *

Marinette groaned and facepalmed, hiding in her room. It was just ice cream, just ice cream, _just ice cream_.

It was just ice cream.

It was just ice cream that matched Viperion…

She giggled to herself. She _did_ like Luka.

Well, she supposed, if her sweetheart’s ice cream matched someone she _knew_ and actually _liked_ … it was like the cherry on top.


	7. Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Loosely_ related to the prompt of "Notes" lmao

Plagg floated in front of Adrien. “Kid, you’re sick. How are you gonna be Chat Noir if you’re delirious?”

“Ladybug needs me,” Adrien groaned. Last time he checked his temperature it was around 39c. “She… she shouldn’t handle the akuma on her own!”

“She’ll be _fine_ ,” Plagg sighed. “Get some rest! Take a nap, you’ll feel better after.”

Adrien frowned. “No, I need to help her. Plagg, claws ou-!” He coughed. It was a hoarse, lung-bruising cough. “Oww.”

“Eww, gross,” Plagg complained. “Humans are so disgusting.”

“Ladybug needs backup…” Adrien sighed. “If she gets caught it’s game over, Plagg. Hawkmoth wins and everyone loses!”

“She’s got plenty of other helpers, Adrien! You gotta relax.”

“No, it’s dangerous because Hawkmoth knows who they are! She needs _Chat Noir_.”

“Ugh, fiiiine. Leave it to me, again, to save the day,” Plagg griped.

Adrien smiled. “I knew you’d come around. Plagg, claws-!” Plagg threw a pillow at Adrien and knocked him backward into his bed. Adrien immediately passed out.

“Knocked over by a feather. You sure woulda been useful to Ladybug like _that_.” Plagg huffed and floated over to Adrien’s hand, gingerly pulling off the Miraculous. “I gotta find Ladybug’s other boyfriend,” the little kwami sighed.

* * *

Luka Couffaine was watching the livestream of the latest akuma through his phone. For some reason Ladybug was fighting the twin gorgons by herself and Chat Noir was nowhere to be seen, which worried everyone. Hopefully Chat Noir was alright… it wasn’t like him to let Ladybug handle everything by herself.

Suddenly a wide silver ring dropped into his lap. Luka’s immediate impulse was to look up and find who dropped it, but he wasn’t able to see anyone or anything that might have possibly done it. There was a voice in his head that told him to _put it on_ , but he wasn’t going to start wearing someone else’s prized _just put it on you blockhead_

What?

_for gouda’s sake just put the darn ring on kid_

Okay. The ring was talking to him. Luka reluctantly put it on. Plagg appeared before him. “Finally. I’m Plagg, kwami of Destruction, you’re gonna be using me today to help Ladybug. Your power is Cataclysm and after you use it you only got 5 minutes to wrap it up. Once you guys have won hand me over to Ladybug and it’ll alllll be done and I can finally get a nap. You got it?”

Luka breathed out the breath he hadn’t known he held in. “You’re Chat’s kwami. That’s why he’s not dealing with the akuma right now.”

“Smart kid, you’ve already figured it out. _You_ get to be Chat Noir today. But maybe you should call yourself something else. How about Chartreux? Transformation phrase is Claws Out, detransformation is Claws In. Got it? Let’s go already.”

* * *

Ladybug had already used her Lucky Charm and… she wasn’t able to figure out which of the two gorgons had the akumatized object in time. She kept having to dodge the petrification beams from two akumas (though she was sure one was a sentimonster clone), and her Lucky Charm had been a guitar pick! She had no idea what to do with it. Actually, scratch that, she knew Tikki or the Lucky Charm wanted her to reach out to Viperion, but… that was dangerous. Hawkmoth knew Luka was Viperion, so she’d try her best without his help right now. But where the heck was that cat?! “Chaaaat, I really could use your help right now!” She yelled out to no one in particular.

A dark figure landed nearby. “Sorry, Ladybug,” said a familiar voice that was _not_ Chat Noir’s. “Chat’s out of commission today, but… I’m his substitute.” A tall figure in Chat’s outfit - no, it was kind of… spikier? and dark gray? - spoke to Ladybug, spinning the baton to create a shield to block the petrification beams. _Oh no. What happened?_ “I’m… Chartreux.”

“Ummmm, hi,” Ladybug said. “Well, if you’re on my side then I’m glad to have you.” She looked him over more closely when she had a chance. Taller, black fluffy hair with green tips instead of all blond, and he had black earrings? Earrings? _Oh no._ She knew his voice sounded familiar. _Oh no._ She’d know those lips and that jawline from anywhere since she spent so long staring at them as Marinette. _Oh no._

“I got some explanation of things, so… I’ll try my best.”

Ladybug had to make a mental note that Chat!Luka was going to be very, very distracting.


	8. Teddy Bear

Ladybug sighed heavily as her earrings kept beeping. She gave Chartreux a rundown of everything she saw with Madusa (times two, ugh) and what she was attacking (seemed like mostly other girls? Yikes). Ladybug gave her thoughts on how she might have been a jilted girl(friend) with Valentine’s Day coming around the corner and Chartreux gave a lopsided smirk.

 _Dang it stop doing that Luka_ , she thought, staring at his lips again. She shook her head to focus. “Chat… I mean Chartreux, I’m so sorry but I have to recharge. I really hate to leave you alone like this but…”

“It’s alright, Ladybug. I understand. I’ll try to distract them and lead them away from civilians.”

She put a hand on his arm and squeezed. _For encouragement_. “Good plan, thank you. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Alright, bug out!”

* * *

Marinette detransformed behind a building and watched Chat!Luka leap away surprisingly gracefully from the building they had just been on top of. She was fascinated at how… fluid everything looked with him. He was kind of a natural at strategically using his baton as an impromptu high-bar to swing himself between spaces and levels while keeping buildings between him and the Madusas for cover.

“MARINETTE!” Tikki yelled, apparently not for the first time. “Marinette?”

“Oh! Oh gosh, Tikki! I’m sorry.”

“We have to figure out which one is the sentimonster first. I think we need to separate them and find out where the amok is.”

“Alright, good idea, Tikki! Let me see if I can find a safe place.” Marinette ran toward the end of the alleyway and ducked her head out to take a quick scan and nearly got hit by a beam. “Whoa!!!”

Unfortunately, it appeared that while Chat!Luka was able to get the attention of one of the Madusas and lead her away, the other one kept circling back to the apparent epicenter of the akumatization. That gave Marinette an idea. She was looking around for cover when she felt an arm around her waist and yelped as she was pulled sideways.

“Marinette, what are you doing here?!” Chartreux yelled, stumbling a little but recovering when she turned to face him and threw her arms around him reflexively.

“Ch-Chat?! Wait, what?!” While Chat!Luka was making an abrupt quarter turn, Marinette got further pressed into him as he made a braking maneuver against a wall and then launched them into an adjoining alleyway. It happened so fast she got slightly dizzy. “Whoa,” she moaned.

“Marinette?! Sorry, I’m much faster than I thought I’d be,” Chartreux said apologetically.

“It’s okay, L–CHAT–I mean! Wh-who are you?”

Chartreux snickered a little. “ _Just a friend_ ,” he winked. “Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

That was what Marinette had been trying to do… She noticed something in the corner of her eye and turned her head, spotting the wax museum. “Um! Can you drop me off there?” She pointed her arm and directed his line of sight. Chat!Luka slowed down and pulled her in tight against him, weaving around the two streams of the petrifying lasers from both Madusas when they spotted the hero running across the street.

* * *

Adrien woke up a bit less headachey than when he went to sleep, and he groaned sitting up on his bed. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. There was something… different about things, but he shrugged and assumed it felt off because he was sick. He sighed and got to his couch, turning on the television. He was hardly paying attention until he heard Nadja Chamack talking about Chat Noir rescuing a civilian and how Ladybug was missing.

He blinked his bleary eyes. “Plagg?” There wasn’t a response. “PLAGG?!” He was suddenly wide awake and stood up a bit too quickly, getting lightheaded and dizzy. He fell back to his couch and looked at a close-up shot of “Chat Noir” and the civilian. _That_ “Chat Noir” was… taller? And _That_ “Chat Noir” was holding ~~Adrien’s favorite civilian~~ Marinette Dupain-Cheng up against himself (pretty intimately, Adrien thought irritably) while heading away from the akumas. Maybe Adrien was hallucinating. Yeah, that was it, this was all just a bad fever dream.

The _Real_ Chat Noir needed to go help Ladybug right away.

Adrien stumbled back to his bed in his exhausted state and pulled off the covers off of a lump on his bed, assuming he’d find the kwami settled in like the lazy cat he was. Instead Adrien found a teddy bear with a heart pillow, inscribed with a “Feel Better Soon ❤️”.


	9. Letters

If the Madusas were turning people into stone, then running through the wax museum where the “people” there were already immobile seemed to be a good plan. That had been the thought process running through Marinette’s mind before she realized that she and Chartreux needed to evacuate the _real_ people inside. Luckily Chartreux was already on that as soon as they opened the doors, directing people to go down to the subway, _goodness bless that boy_.

Marinette helped him as much as she could while she kept trying to lose him in the evacuating crowd to duck out and transform back into Ladybug. Of course of all the people the black cat Miraculous could have gone to, it went to _Luka Couffaine_ , who ten times out of ten could find Marinette in the chaos. Marinette had counted.

“Chat-um-whatever, could you let me go? Don’t I need to go hide?!” Marinette yelled at Chartreux, who had unabashedly let his tail wrap around her ankle to keep tabs on her.

“I know you’re brave, Marinette, but you don’t _hide_ , you keep throwing yourself into danger as soon as I turn my back so I’m going to _personally_ drop you off at home. Good idea on using the wax museum, though.”

“But I can get Ladybug!” Marinette groaned.

Chartreux’s ears twitched with irritation as he glared at her. “Ladybug’s going to get here on her own, _you_ don’t need to-” Marinette saw one ear rotate backward and Chartreux ran, pulling Marinette along with him after taking her hand. The twin gorgons burst into the museum and started using their beams on the wax figures. They were temporarily confused when no one turned into stone.

Once they got their bearings, the twin gorgons ran in the same direction they saw Chartreux and Marinette run. The hero and civilian pair had hidden behind a relatively large dupe of Horrificator and were able to sneak past the Madusas into a staff locker room. “Well, I think I can hide here, at least,” Marinette sighed.

“Can’t say it’s too comfortable, but it’s better than nothing,” Chartreux reluctantly agreed, opening a large locker for Marinette. “Sorry. I guess I should have taken you home first.” Both Marinette and Chartreux heard one of the Madusas walk closer and try to open the door. Marinette made a split second decision and pulled Charteux in the locker with her and closed it behind them.

The Madusa broke down the door and prowled in, scanning the room. She sniffed, annoyed at finding nothing of value, and left. When Chartreux heard the gorgon’s footsteps fade away he burst out of the locker, red-faced and stammering out a hasty “S-sorry!”

He was about a full head taller than she was, so when they crammed into the locker he ended up occupying way more of her personal space than either of them expected. He pressed himself into the furthest corner away from her but his head still ended up on her shoulder and his arm braced against her and her legs in between his. He kept thinking how he was getting kind of hungry because she smelled like freshly baked bread and warm apple pie and man was he ever getting distracted by the fact that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had pulled him in by the collar and now her hands were in his hair because they had nowhere else to go?

He stayed hidden with Marinette for several long seconds after the Madusa had left, ostensibly to make sure the akuma/sentimonster was far enough away, but maybe some part of him just kinda liked being held by Marinette.

“I’m sorry! I just pulled you in i-i-it was my fault so, so sorry,” Marinette apologized back, also pretty embarrassed but fighting back a smirk at finding Chat!Luka so flustered. “I’ll s-stay here and be out of your way, promise!”

Chartreux blew out a breath, composing himself, and nodded. “Stay safe. I mean it, Marinette, no heroics. That’s my job.”

She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Good luck,” she giggled, closing the locker. Chartreux went red again, slightly taken aback, but then he chuckled to himself and turned to leave.

“Marinette, you’re teasing the poor boy,” Tikki giggled.

“I think we’re both enjoying it,” Marinette giggled back. “Are you ready, Tikki?” The little kwami nodded. “Alright, Spots On!”

Ladybug stepped out of the locker and called her Lucky Charm. She got a pack of fridge magnet alphabet letters? What was she going to do with _that_?


	10. Composition

It was actually a pretty straightforward plan. Chartreux and Ladybug ran in opposite directions and the twin gorgons split up to chase the both of them. The heroes lead them into the same room at opposite ends, Ladybug tied them up together with her yoyo, Chartreux Cataclysm’d the floor and the Madusas got caught hanging upside down. The magnets caught the Madusa’s dislodged necklace and pen before they fell into the molten hot wax.

Amok and akuma were dealt with, the akuma victim reassured, and the Miraculous Ladybugs deployed. The heroes bumped fists and called out _“Bien Joué!”_

Ladybug’s earrings beeped and Chartreux stopped her from running off. “Wait! Plagg said I needed to give you the ring.”

“Plagg said what?!”

Chartreux raised an eyebrow. “I’m supposed to give you Chat Noir’s ring back.”

“I… I-I don’t know who Chat Noir is, actually,” Ladybug laughed uneasily. “I’m not sure who to give it back _to_! How did you get the ring?”

“Really?” Both of Luka’s eyebrows rose. “It… just dropped into my lap. What should I do?”

Ladybug’s earrings beeped again. “Umm. I-I guess keep it? For now? I’ll ask my kwami what I should do. Anyway, thank you for your help! I gotta run!”

* * *

Marinette yelped as Chartreux opened the locker she was hiding in. “Wow,” he laughed. “You actually stayed safe.”

“I-is it over?” Marinette asked.

“Yeah. I wanted to make sure you were alright.” Chartreux extended a hand and helped Marinette get out of the locker and onto her feet. “I also said I was going to personally drop you off at home.”

“You did!” Marinette giggled. “That would be great!”

* * *

Chartreux landed softly on Marinette’s balcony with her in a bridal carry.

“You definitely know who I am because I definitely didn’t tell you where my house is, and I still don’t have _your_ name,” Marinette laughed.

Chartreux hummed. “I don’t know if I’ll be coming back as a hero so I don’t think it matters if you know my name. I promise I am a friend though.” He let Marinette down and she kissed him on the cheek. “Careful, you don’t know if Alya’s nearby taking pictures and you don’t want to give the boy you like the wrong idea.”

Marinette blinked. “The boy I like?”

“Adri-” “Luka?” Chat!Luka and Marinette said respectively, at the same time.

Chartreux was taken aback and flushed. “I think I’m giving him the right idea,” Marinette giggled. “Your ring is beeping, by the way.”

“Oh. Really? I mean. Right. Thanks. I’m… gonna go.” He turned away awkwardly, still flushed.

“Chartreux?” Chat!Luka spun back in surprise. Marinette went up on her toes and kissed him. “Thanks for helping out today. You did a great job.”

* * *

Chartreux detransformed in a quiet alleyway and Luka made his way home in a daze. Luka barely heard Plagg complain the lack of camembert and about how the Guardian _should_ know who Chat Noir was and how the kwami apparently needed to do things _himself_ and to haul the ring back across _all of Paris_ and how much of a _pain_ it was.

Luka got back onto the houseboat and went to his room and sat on his bed. Plagg had noticed that the boy was more or less unresponsive and sighed, deciding to hide in Luka’s jacket pocket. Luka finally shook his head to get his bearings and looked around him, pulling out a blank sheet of music staff paper.

He was pretty sure Marinette knew he was Chartreux. He was pretty sure Marinette just let him know she was Ladybug.

He had some brand new music to compose.


	11. Bonus 1

“I hear that you’re a big fan of Chat _Gris_ ,” Adrien smirked as he leaned into his right hand, silver ring glinting off the sunlight that streamed into their classroom. “You and the Chat Noir from last week had a moment it seems!” He gave Marinette a sly wink.

“A-Adrien!” Marinette squeaked, turning red. “Shhh!!!” Marinette had already had to tamp down all the rumors around her and “Chat Gris” as they called him. Alya _had_ been nearby and she _did_ take pictures and _of course_ one of the pictures was of Marinette when she kissed Chat!Luka. (How did that girl even _get_ that angle?!) Alya thankfully had only shared it with Marinette… and then the rest of the girls, after Marinette had been too embarrassed to deny anything about it.

“I think you may be a cat person after all, Marinette,” Adrien laughed.

“How did you find out?!” Marinette stage-whispered. “Alya promised not to show anyone else!”

“It wasn’t Alya, I promise. I had my very own informant. But interesting detail, you have a picture?”

“I’m sure not showing you!” Marinette huffed.

“That’s alright!” Adrien laughed. “Well, since you seemed to be so familiar with Chat Gris _and_ Chat Noir, I was wondering what you thought of Gris versus Noir?” Adrien had leaned in further, intensely focused on Marinette.

Marinette blinked at him. “Uh… they were both… good.”

“Really? You didn’t miss anything about Chat Noir?”

“Well, I mean, both Chats were very… nice. They saved me from the akumas. I guess Chat Noir is… um. More of a jokester?”

“I’m hearing Chat Noir is more _fun_ ,” Adrien smiled. “But go on.”

“You have some weird selective hearing there,” Marinette said. “Anyway I mean, I don’t really have anything else to say?”

“Aww, too bad. I’m jealous, Marinette. You got to hang out with two different versions of the same hero!” And _kissed_ both, but she wasn’t going to mention that.

“Getting caught up in the akuma attacks is not something I’d call ‘hanging out’, Adrien.” Marinette rolled her eyes. “But they were cool.”

“Do you think you’d wanna see Chat Gris again? Instead of Chat Noir?” Adrien asked, way softer than he spoke before.

“Hmm, I like Chat Noir. I think Chat Noir is great at being Chat Noir. Ladybug and Paris would miss him terribly if he wasn’t going to show up anymore. I liked Gris and he helped everyone out really well, but I think Chat Noir is who Paris loves.”

Adrien blushed. “Well, it’s nice of you to say that. Chat Noir seems like a great guy, whoever he is under the mask.”

Marinette smiled. “I think so too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Chat Noir love for y'all


	12. Cupid's Arrow

I get the sense it hit him out of nowhere


	13. Kisses

“You’re about to run out of time,” Viperion said quietly to Ladybug, who was trying to keep track of the fight that Ryuuko and Chat Noir were heading off with Darkblade ( _another_ repeat akuma, Hawkmoth?). Ladybug had called up her Lucky Charm and it had been a weathervane. She kept trying to place it on top of Notre Dame but Darkblade’s minions kept coming at her and this time, they were even more agile and pointy.

Ladybug sighed, but nodded her thanks to Viperion. “Thanks. Bug out-OH!” She tried to change directions in the middle of her leap but she couldn’t throw out her yo-yo anywhere else in time to avoid the quickly rushing group of Darkblade’s swords-people at her landing spot.

Viperion leapt in after her and wove through the attacks to get Ladybug. He picked her up and ran to a safer place.

“D-don’t look!” Ladybug yelled as he closed the door behind them and her transformation wore off. “Don’t… don’t open your eyes. Please.”

He complied readily enough. Why hadn’t he set Second Chance? He probably could have just told her to go elsewhere to detransform. “They’re closed.”

“Thanks,” she sighed. “Just… give me a few minutes. I’m really sorry about this.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I guess because it’s embarrassing. I’m… I should have. Left earlier or something?” Actually, that was a good point. He wasn’t sure why she did stick around for as long as she did, he warned her a few times that her transformation was about to drop. “And yes, I know you told me like way earlier,” she laughed.

“I’m hoping where we are is safe enough for you to recharge. Let me know if you need me to go or find somewhere else.”

“Luka?”

“… Yeah?”

“You already know who I am, don’t you?”

Viperion cracked a smile, not that he was sure she saw it. “I’m pretty sure I do, but I could always be wrong.” She hummed, considering, and he realized she was coming in closer. She was very, very good at moving quietly.

“Tell me how you found out,” she said quietly, although to him it was loud enough to drown out the sudden spike in his heart rate pounding in his ears. She had said it while standing _right behind_ him.

“S-same voice, same walk, same confidence,” he said unsteadily. “Same melody.”

“How long have you known?” She was now a little off to his side.

“A few months.”

“Have you told anyone else?” Probably now right in front of him.

“No.”

“Why haven’t you?” Still in front, maybe slightly closer?

Well, that was a strange question, but he supposed he had a strange answer. “Because I wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t surprising. It made sense and anyone who knows you would feel the same. I don’t need or want to tell anyone else. Let them figure it out on their own.” She said nothing to that, and he wasn’t sure if she was moving around still.

“So who am I?” She asked after a few long moments.

He was 99% sure. “You? You’re the most extraordinary girl, Marinette.“

There was nothing, again. He got nervous, frowning at being unable to open his eyes. He wanted to know if she was upset or sad or silently laughing at him for being incredibly wrong. “I think I’m just extra,” Marinette sighed.

He kept his eyes closed, but relaxed a bit. It _was_ Marinette. “You’re fine. _I’m_ extra,” he laughed.

He felt her arms wrap around him and he hugged back. “I’m glad you know. It’s… been kinda rough recently,” Marinette sighed, burying her face deeper into him. “I’m so tired.”

He rested his chin on her head. “It’s a lot. You’re doing well for what you have to do.”

She pulled back and he let her go. “You still have your eyes closed?”

Viperion shrugged. “You didn’t want me to open them.” He felt her hand on his cheek and his eyes almost fluttered open in surprise, but he squeezed them shut. She kissed his cheek. He thought that was what happened, anyway. “Marinette,” he chuckled, “I’d like to see you.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

He opened his eyes. She was barely 15 and she looked exhausted and weary. The Ladybug mask seemed to hide all that. “Hey, let me get you some coffee after all this is over,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll hang out and relax.”

“L-like on a date?” Marinette asked, blushing.

“If you… don’t mind,” Viperion said carefully, his own face feeling warm.

She had a warm smile. “Alright. That sounds really nice.” She stepped back into hugging him. “I’m glad you’re here with me.” She leaned up and kissed him.


	14. Drums

Marinette wasn’t sure when half the girl squad decided to try to… _repurpose?_ the schemes Alya and Marinette had feverishly dreamed up to get Marinette to confess/propose to Adrien. Not like they didn’t fall apart pretty spectacularly on their own anyway, thanks to Marinette’s infamous nerves. The plans certainly didn’t need any help disintegrating any further.

It just seemed like recently whenever Rose, Juleka, or Mylene were involved with setup, it ended up that instead of Adrien being at the romantic backdrop Marinette was targeting where she “meets Adrien by chance”, it happened that Luka was there instead.

Luka was more or less confused by these “chance encounters”. Then again, so was Marinette, at least initially.

After the third time, Luka made a joke about seeing her again soon, and Marinette realized that she’d _actually like that_.

When the fourth time happened Marinette had been looking forward to it, and she and Luka traded friendly, playful banter. She gave him some of the heart shaped macarons she’d “made for Adrien” and Luka seemed pretty flustered by that. So what if they were made with blueberry flavoring instead of passion fruit? Marinette thought “Adrien” would like that flavor instead.

Alya, stubborn as ever, continued to barrel on through making more and more ridiculous suggestions at getting the Adrienette ship to sail once and for all. Marinette only encouraged this, wondering how Rose, Juleka, and Mylene would pull off duping poor Luka into showing up in place of Adrien.

The fifth time she “happened” to run into Luka, pretty much literally this time, she apologized to him for a few things. One for running into him, another for the whole game the girls were playing, and the last because she hadn’t told him she knew he was getting duped by the girls, and that she played along because she really enjoyed meeting up with him. But it was unfair to him.

“Oh,” was all she got out of Luka. Marinette’s heart sank. She didn’t sleep that night.

The sixth time, Marinette met up with Adrien. “Hey Marinette,” he greeted her. Marinette felt sick and uneasy. “Luka said you needed to talk with me?”

“Oh,” she said quietly. “Um. Right. Okay, here goes. Adrien, I-” Ivan came running out, being pushed by Mylene. The large boy carried a bongo and started a loud, impromptu drum solo right in front of Adrien and Marinette to drown out Marinette’s confession.

Marinette laughed so hard she started crying, and Adrien nervously chuckled along, not sure if he was getting pranked but trying to be a good sport about it.

“Ivan! Ivan stop, stop!” Marinette wheezed between laughs, waving down the drummer. “I’m alright! Mylene, I’ve got this. I’m okay, I’ve got this.” She stood up straight after catching her breath and turned to Adrien. “Adrien Agreste, you should know I really, really like you and I wanted to see if maybe we could go out on a date? But before you answer please know that maybe we shouldn’t date because I’m kind of a disaster and maybe you’re not interested and I should probably tell you that I don’t know what I want anymore because when we–the girls and I–were trying to set this whole thing up I kept meeting up with Luka and I’m starting to think I-I might actually want to see if _he’s_ interested in dating me? Still interested in me? Maybe? Hopefully? ‘Cause I’m interested in him!” Alya, Rose, and Juleka started screaming through Marinette’s earpiece so she turned it off.

Adrien was shocked. “Marinette… I’m… sorry. I’m in love with another girl,” he said, looking pained.

“Oh thank goodness,” Marinette sighed. She went up to Adrien and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you.”

“Uh, you’re welcome?” Adrien replied awkwardly. After Marinette had stepped back from the hug Adrien chuckled. “Marinette, you’re amazing and I’m glad I get to be friends with you. Luka’s a lucky guy and he’d be pretty silly to turn you down, so I’m sure he won’t.”

Alix skated by and threw flower petals in Marinette’s face. “Congrats, you finally confessed and it was to the wrong guy,” the skater commented wryly, then turned around and left.

* * *

Marinette ran to the Couffaine houseboat and down the stairs to the lower deck after shouting a quick hello at Captain Anarka. Marinette spent a second reveling at how high Luka jumped when she slid into the Couffaine siblings’ room on her flats, skidding to a stop after running so fast. “I CONFESSED TO ADRIEN,” Marinette shouted at him.

Luka was further shocked and then confused, maybe a little disappointed. “That’s… gre–”

“He said he was in love with someone else!” Marinette continued shouting, but at a more manageable level. She wasn’t sure _why_ she was shouting, but she couldn’t turn her own volume down too much at the moment. “I think I am too!”

“Okay?” Luka said uncertainly.

“That! Someone! Is you!” Marinette squeaked, turning red.

Luka blushed, bit back a smile, and furrowed his eyebrows. “ _Adrien_ is in love with me?” He was teasing her?!

“What?! No, _I’m_ the one in love with you!” Marinette gasped at herself. “I-I-I mean I really like you and I messed up with the schemes and stuff so I wanted to tell you I confessed t-to get it over with so I could come here to apologize again because I figured out I’m in love with _you_ but now I’m just yelling at you for no reason but really it’s because I’m trying to ask if you like me and maybe if you wanna go out to get ice cream sometime?!”

Luka was unable to hide his smile. He closed his eyes, taking a calming breath. Marinette noticed that his blush was deeper and he actually looked pretty nervous himself. Secretly she felt proud that she riled up the usually unflappable Luka Couffaine. “Marinette, I like you a lot. I’d be happy to go out with you.”

“Okay cool!” Marinette yelled. Maybe it was the endorphin rush of having run like 10 blocks to get to the houseboat, but whatever it was it carried her through her legendary self-doubt and allowed her to walk up to him, kiss him, and then run back home.


	15. Riff

Luka hated to think this, but ever since he agreed to be part of Kitty Section his life had gotten pretty… whack. The good days far outnumbered the bad, but when it was bad, it was akuma-level bad. Though the _really_ good days had Marinette in it, so… maybe joining Kitty Section was worthwhile overall.

Sometimes the good and the bad days were the same, like when he met Marinette during the music festival, when Kitty Section got to play live on TVi after Bob Roth admitted to stealing their work, and when he was able to play his song to ease Marinette’s broken heart as she walked away from Adrien.

Sometimes the days were just bad even with Marinette in them, because then everything about her and her song was… dissonant or rushed or jumbled, like the day Jagged showed up and he became Viperion.

Now that he thought about it, the really good days had only Marinette and the really bad days had _Ladybug_. Not that it was Ladybug’s fault, she was just dealing with problems caused by Paris’ local supervillain. And when Hawkmoth decided to throw tantrums, Ladybug and Chat Noir were there to clean up the mess.

There was one problem trying to categorize his days through whether Marinette or Ladybug was present in them. Luka had thought originally they just looked similar. The more he got to… _experience_ Ladybug, the more he figured they must at least be _related_ to be so similar. Then it hit him later that they must be sisters? Then epiphany, Marinette _was_ Ladybug.

Ladybug’s song had been a riff off of Marinette’s after all.

He made up his mind that he’d help out however he could when Ladybug and Chat Noir were needed. It sucked, but he got to see Marinette when it was all over. He’d help her smile again.


	16. Valentines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to add this

  



	17. Vocals

Marinette took another look over her outfit. Hopefully it wasn’t screaming “try-hard”, but she did feel the need to dress up for the internationally famous Rock Giant. She wasn’t supposed to consult for Jagged in business casual, especially since he said it wasn’t very rock-n-roll of her to treat Uncle Jagged like _just another client_.

She wore a pink jumpsuit and a short cropped black leather jacket, tying her hair up in a loose bun. Some dark red lipstick and eyeliner wingtips, and she had called it there. Penny sent her a text saying that the car arrived in front of her apartment a few minutes later.

Marinette locked up her place and walked out to a limo (why did they need a limo for their designer???), seeing Penny leaned against it. The designer came in for a hug and Penny hugged back. “Oh, it’s so good to see you little lady,” Penny laughed.

“Hi Penny! I’m glad to see you. It’s been too long,” Marinette smiled back.

“I wanted to give you a heads up that we’ve got another passenger, but… I want to warn you he’s probably not going to be a great conversation partner. Don’t worry, he’s harmless.”

“Okay, that’s fine. Who is he?”

“Our last-minute client Jagged wants to have you work with,” Penny winked. “Let’s get going!”

“Being mysterious, are we?”

Penny rolled her eyes. “You know Jagged. Lives for the drama.”

Marinette giggled and got in the car as Penny opened the door for her. She got seated and looked over to the other passenger, who just seemed to be slumped to his side against his window, long black hair spilling over the sunglasses and under the hoodie covering his head. He was… sleeping? So that was what Penny meant.

Penny, for some reason, got in the front passenger seat and left the main cabin to Marinette and the other passenger. Marinette leaned toward the front of the car and whispered to Penny “Is he asleep?” as the chauffeur started the car and merged into traffic. 

Penny sighed. “Jagged insisted on putting him on the red-eye to get here in time. He just got off the flight from New York an hour ago…”

“Oh no, poor guy. Did we really need to have this meeting today? I don’t want to make him have to decide anything if he barely got any sleep.”

“You’re forgetting that Jagged insisted,” Penny smiled wryly. “No one keeps Jagged Stone waiting.” Penny pulled up a few notes on her smartphone and handed it to Marinette. “Well, J’s got a bunch of crazy ideas, as usual, but I figured you might want to have a chance to look over the latest.”

“Ooh, thanks.” Marinette looked over it for a few minutes before the phone rang. “Penny? Looks like someone’s calling you,” Marinette said, handing over the phone back to Penny.

“Ugh, alright. Thanks, Marinette.” Penny picked up the call and started raising the window divider up for privacy.

Left to her own devices, Marinette set to sketching out a few ideas from the inspiration board Penny had given her a glimpse of. Penny’s ringtone had been a familiar song, and before she knew it Marinette was singing it softly to herself.

_Now your song is on repeat  
And I’m dancing on to your heartbeat  
And when you’re gone, I feel incomplete  
So if you want the truth  
I just wanna be part of your symphony_

There was movement from the other passenger that Marinette barely caught sight of with the corner of her eye as she sung one last line.

_Will you hold me tight and not let go?_

She raised her head from the sketches and turned to apologize. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I wake…”

Bright blue eyes looked back at her, paired with a lopsided smile. Luka held his sunglasses in his lap as he said “Hey, Marinette. It’s been a while.”


	18. Flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to the LB&SC discord whoooooo
> 
> [The song from Vocals](https://youtu.be/aatr_2MstrI)
> 
> [Dude that contributed to my envisioning Adult Luka](https://www.instagram.com/p/BMB-2DgDIJ0/)

Marinette was _internally screaming_. “HI! Luka?! It’s you! You’re my client?!” Marinette squeaked loudly at him, her face feeling hot.

Luka laughed. “Hope that’s okay.”

“You’re fine! I mean, yes, yes that’s fine. I’m totally okay. With this.” She gave him a big smile with a thumbs up that she hoped wasn’t _too_ crazy looking.

So what if 5 years ago when she was 17 and he was leaving to start the international tours for his wildly successful LP she had run up to him with a handwritten letter and _kissed him on the mouth_? So what if immediately afterward she shoved the letter into his hands and sprinted from the airport, faster than he could chase after her?

5 years was… a lot of time! Enough that he might have possibly forgotten about it! Because she certainly… _hadn’t_!

It wasn’t like he hadn’t reached out to her immediately after he landed a few timezones away. But it was the same old tired story of intense university studies and him being a rising rock star getting in the way, and after a few months it fell down to sending an update text every once in a while.

Even though he stopped in France, and more specifically, Paris for a night or two as part of his tours (and longer in between albums), Marinette never felt the same courage in facing him in person as she did when she was 17 and gave him excuse after excuse for her absence, dodging all of his attempts to see her. By that point she had made the excuse to herself that he had a legion of fans and that he could have anyone he wanted, so what was she to him anyway?

Then he essentially disappeared off the face of the earth 2 years ago, last seen in New York City where the tours of his second album ended. Juleka and his business partners Jagged and Penny assured Marinette that Luka had been alright, he had just been taking time for himself to write a third album.

She hadn’t seen him in a long time, and now he was sitting next to her in Jagged Stone’s limo. “A-are _you_ okay? Working with me?” Marinette asked nervously.

He smiled again at her, and Marinette thought she saw genuine joy and warmth underneath the jet-lag exhaustion. Maybe she was being optimistic. “I asked for you. You’re one of the most amazing designers I’ve ever known. I’ve always loved your work, Marinette. It’s a dream come true to work together and have you make something for me.”

Gosh, if he was a charmer at 16, he only got _better_ at his craft. “Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you Luka?” Penny laughed. Marinette hadn’t noticed that the divider had come down since she was so distracted by Luka. Yikes.

“It’s the truth,” Luka grinned.

“I’d like to have our designer stay coherent so stop flirting back there, alright?”

Marinette cleared her throat and tried her best to stop blushing. “U-um, anyway, was the stuff Penny showing me earlier for… for you or for Jagged? I’m… confused.”

“The both of us. We’re collaborating together on the album. It’ll be under both our names,” Luka answered. He leaned over to look at the sketches Marinette had in her lap. “Wow, those are great. I love this one,” he said, leaning in further to point out a half finished sketch.

“Couffaine! Flirt later!” Penny yelled. Luka put his hands up in surrender, leaning back away from Marinette.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to invade your space,” he said gently.

“I don’t mind since it’s you,” Marinette said, quicker than her brain processed it. She heard Penny sigh from the front seat. “I-I mean, it didn’t – I made this _for_ you and Jagged a-and you were just getting a better look so it’s okay! I’ll just come closer to you!” Luka didn’t seem to mind as she scooted closer. “R-right, I’m um… thinking that you and Jagged were going for _mythic_ so I’m adding a few details that touch on it here,” she rambled as she put the sketchbook in his hands, turning pages as necessary, blithely explaining through her awkwardness when she noticed that Luka was blushing as well.

* * *

4 hours after arriving at the studio, Luka and Marinette finally took a break from brainstorming details for _The Works_ , as Jagged called it. Jagged had wanted Marinette to think up not only album art but potential stage designs and outfits and ideas for music videos. The Rock Giant himself finally made an appearance at the end, which is why Luka and Marinette had to take a break. 5 minutes with Jagged was more exhausting than just the two of them for the 4 hours. Penny laughed as Luka rolled his eyes walking out of the office. She handed him a cup of coffee. “How was it in there?”

Luka smiled, looking down at the reflective dark brown coffee. “Except for Jagged, it was as amazing as it’s always been to see Marinette like that.”

“I’m surprised it took 2 years for J to convince you to come back to Paris. What changed? Wait, let me guess. Did it have something to do with a certain vlog that started 2 weeks ago?”

As part of Alya’s Mass Communications graduate studies thesis, Marinette started documenting her design process for the world at large, providing a few quick video clips of her sketches or thoughts on recent fashion trends to the internet. Alya’s other videos/victims included DJ Nino (everyone saw that coming) and Olympic swimmer Ondine talking about their road to success, so Alya’s vlog seemed pretty packed full of important, young, successful people vlogging for Alya.

It wasn’t necessarily surprising when all of the video guests got a ton of questions about their personal lives. Juleka made Luka watch when Alya and Marinette hosted one live Q&A session. The bomb dropped that Marinette wasn’t seeing anyone.

Well, to Luka it was pretty big news. Half of her reasons for never seeing him were due to Adrien. Even Juleka and Rose assumed Marinette finally got together with the model since they were seen together in public a lot.

“I’m guessing that re-ignited that torch you had for our talented little lady, didn’t it?” Penny asked.

Luka took a sip of his coffee and shrugged. “It never went out.”


	19. Sketchbook

_MDC_ , Marinette’s indie/boutique fashion brand, had been pretty popular ever since Jagged and Clara Nightingale commissioned her back when she was a teenager. As an online shop it generally brought in enough money that Marinette didn’t need to worry about affording food and sundries.

It was not, however, reliable for _rent_ , so she did have a part-time position at a design firm that allowed her the freedom to work on personal projects and independent contracting as long as she got the rest of the work done. It was a Friday, her usual day off, and she had just spent most of it with her sketchbook and an exhausted rock star. A rock star she most definitely had been in love with. And maybe a bit of her still was.

Then Jagged Stone made his presence known and offered his biased opinions on every single draft of Marinette’s ideas and critiqued each of Luka’s additions and challenged any of Luka’s removals. It didn’t take long until Luka pulled back his chair and walked out the office after shaking his head at Jagged. Jagged squeezed her in a tight hug after the younger musician left, winking at Marinette. “That was too easy. Ooh, it’s good to see you Marinette. How long has it been? We need to keep you here somehow, I need your raw artistic talent and enthusiasm around to inspire me! Ooh, how about we pay you to show up here every day?”

Marinette laughed. “I’m quite happy with what I’m doing now. And you don’t need me every day!”

“Maybe I don’t, little lady, but maybe _someone_ does,” Jagged winked, throwing his arm around her shoulders. “And obviously I don’t mean Penny or Fang, they can handle their own.”

Marinette huffed. “Is that what’s happening? Are you trying to play matchmaker, Mr Stone?”

“Rude, you only use that name when you’re angry. Is this too much, darling?”

Marinette leaned into Jagged but shook her head. “I wanna know why now? It’s been… years since you took him away.”

“Oh, that’s how you wanna rock, is it? _We took him away?_ My dear, you’re forgetting your role in this whole epic saga! You’re the one that refused to see him.” Jagged straightened himself up and sat in a chair next to her. “As much as I see you being a wonderfully successful young lady in charge of her life and her future, you certainly get… discouraged easily. We _had_ to trap you, love. Just talk with my boy. Ugh, please Marinette, stop making me feel like a meddling old man, it’s so very not rock’n’roll. Where’s my Oolong, PENNY!”

“You _are_ a meddling old man, Jagged, but… I think I’m gonna say thanks. For the opportunity. As always.”

“Is it the boy or is it the work you’re thanking me for?” Marinette just smiled. “Clever girl.”

* * *

“Heading out?” Luka asked tiredly, seeing Marinette and Jagged walk out of the office together.

“Yep, but you’ll see me again soon. I sketched out a few ideas, yes, but this was only just the initial consultation. I’ll be ordering materials and color swatches and making prototypes. There’ll be more Marinette Dupain-Cheng in the upcoming weeks than you’ll know what to do with,” Marinette laughed.

Jagged eyed Luka with his eyebrows waggling, but Luka said nothing. Jagged couldn’t help but feel disappointed and sighed. “The car will be ready for you, little lady. Luka, be a gentleman and accompany her down, will you?”

“Oh, no, Luka’s so tired…” Marinette started to object.

“It’d be my pleasure, actually,” Luka said quietly.

“Good lad. Marinette, keep us in the loop,” Jagged said quickly, pushing them into an open elevator. “Rock on!” Jagged said, throwing up horns with his hands as the elevator doors closed. _Oh good_ , Marinette thought. Trapped in a tiny confined space with the man she had a bunch of unresolved _feels_ for…

Luka leaned against the side of the elevator. “Marinette, were you uncomfortable working with me?”

“What?! Oh no, no,” she said. “Not uncomfortable! No! Wh-why do you ask?”

“Jagged’s trying to push… an agenda. You don’t have to put up with it. I wanted to make that clear,” Luka smiled. “I know you said you’re okay, but if anything’s bothering you let me know.”

“I love doing this, Luka,” Marinette smiled up at him. “You’ve never bothered me. I-I mean, it’s not a bother. H-honestly those hours with you felt like seconds! It felt good to work together. Thank you,” she said while nudging his arm with her shoulder. “For thinking of me.”

“Always,” he said quietly.

The elevator doors opened into the lobby and they walked to the car in relatively companionable silence. He opened the limo door for her and she stepped in, then paused. “Luka, if you’re free t-tomorrow or I mean sometime after you get some R&R would you like to grab lunch together? O-or dinner?”

Luka looked thoughtful for a moment. “I’ll let you know.” He sounded exhausted. Well, that wasn’t an outright rejection… Marinette smiled nervously and nodded, seating herself in the car and buckling in. Before he closed the door, he handed her a letter from his hoodie pocket. “A reply. See you,” Luka smiled at her, closing the door after she took it into her hands.


	20. Late Night Escape

It was 3am when Luka woke up in his hotel room at Le Grand Paris. Being jet-lagged did that to a person. Also being worried and heartbroken and hopeful all at the same time. He hadn’t lied to Penny when he said he’d still carried the torch for Marinette.

It just wasn’t the whole truth. That while he still had feelings and held out the barest sliver of hope she’d be willing to reconnect, he had been pretty angry and disappointed she never did before he walked her to the car, except for the tiny chats they had over birthdays, holidays, and when he released his second album.

She kept him at a distance and he didn’t know _why._

> _Dearest Luka,_
> 
> _I’m still too much of a coward to say this in person, so I hope this letter will serve for now._

The physical letter was back in his place in New York. It wasn’t like he hadn’t memorized it anyway. Her handwriting was loose and a bit smeared in places, like she clearly hadn’t planned on writing it. It made it all the more precious to him.

> _I met you at a point in my life when I should have been done with that stupid crush that had all but consumed me and everything I did. If I was I probably wouldn’t be such a huge idiot for overlooking all the things you did for me._

He should have tossed it and moved on with his life, but it never felt like a priority. There had been something holding him back from doing that.

> _I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about that whole thing. ~~It’s so so stupid. I’m so stupid.~~_

That last part had been crossed out many times, but he could still tell what it said.

> _I looked back on the things I did and the things I said. I feel bad ~~about a lot of it~~ that I didn’t give you ~~more~~ better. You deserved so much better than that, and you still do. I hope you get nothing but the best from everyone and everything!_
> 
> _~~I wanted to say~~ I really appreciate the times you supported me and helped me out and taught me what it was like to have someone really deeply care about me.  
> _
> 
> _I wish I could go back in time and tell myself that you’re the one I need. I know it now, but you’re going soon and it’s too late right?_
> 
> _I love you. And I wish you the best. You’re amazing, Luka, ~~and you’re the one I wish I hadn’t let go of~~.  
> _
> 
> _Always, Marinette_

He’d called her when he could, but she didn’t keep the conversations going. He sent his own letters and she sent one back.

> _Thank you… but you’re so much better off without me. I would only slow you down._
> 
> _Marinette_

He held back after that. That letter he did trash.

He pulled out his acoustic and went up to the top of Le Grand Paris, sitting down in one poolside lounge chair, suddenly hit with the nostalgia of doing the same thing in the early hours as a teenager on his mother’s ship.

He started playing the song he’d been trying to get right for months. It still didn’t feel completely right.

“Doing alright, sir?”

Luka nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned to the voice and saw Ladybug sitting on the railing. “I’m… okay. Hi Ladybug.”

“Your song… is pretty melancholy. Wait, I’m sorry, I just wanted to check in on you since it’s… well it’s 3am. Couldn’t sleep?”

He smiled. “Seems like you couldn’t either? Unless you’ve always done patrols at this time.”

“No, I haven’t. Today’s been… different,” she shrugged. “Would you mind if I hung around a bit? It’s pretty quiet tonight and… I was enjoying hearing you play.”

“Not at all. I’m glad I could entertain.” Luka started playing again, from the beginning. “This song has some lyrics I’m working on, but… I’m starting to think it’s melodramatic.”

“I’d be more than happy to give it a listen,” Ladybug said softly. “You’re Luka Couffaine, right? I’m actually a big fan of your music.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear I’ve got Ladybug as a fan,” he laughed. “This is still a work in progress. It’s rough.”

_Counting out the hours like the beat of a song  
I feel like a stranger wondering where I belong  
I wanna start all over but I know that I can’t  
I’m helpless without you, I don’t know who I am_

_I’m under your spell, bound and blind and only you can save me  
I’m tangled up inside, caught in your web  
I’m hypnotized and only you can wake me  
Only you can bring this heart to life_

“It’s… not everything I want it to be,” Luka sighed. He turned and looked right at Ladybug. “I don’t want this to be the song I have to finish. I think there’s a good chance I don’t have to.” He put his guitar away. “But that depends on what you want, Marinette.”


	21. Phone Call

(Several hours earlier)

“Hey Alya, hey internet! This is gonna be my last vid for the… _Rock Stars of Paris_ series. You all have been so amazing and this has been a really fun and amazing-oh I already said that, shoot. Al, edit this so I don’t sound so stupid please! Anyway, this has been such a fun and… _enlightening_ time! I’m here to answer one last question and it’s a doozy so I took some time to really think about my answer. The question is: ‘ _If you could redo one moment of your life, what would it be and why?_ ’”

Marinette worried her lip and felt her eyes water. “Well, anonymous, I can’t really justify any one moment. Each moment had a number of decisions that lead up to it, you know? Which one decision led to me being interested in designing clothes? How did I get to be in the same College class as Gabriel Agreste’s model son Adrien Agreste? Hi Adrien!“ Marinette giggled and waved at the camera. ”How did I ever get to meet Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale? How much of that was me and how much of that was pure dumb luck?”

She laughed to herself. “Alright, it’s totally unfair to answer a question like that.” She cleared her throat. “Well, nonny, it’s a tough call. There are _soooo_ many stupid moments in my life I want to redo, but sometimes I think it was good for me to fall flat on my face, sometimes even literally. I learned a lot through my mistakes, and… I’m hoping maybe this video will allow you to learn that making mistakes is okay! Generally very helpful, that hindsight. But… I will admit that there is… one moment that I would want to… expand? I probably wouldn’t change too much about what happened, actually. I just want to kinda shake myself and tell that girl I was to ‘Just explain it! Then we wouldn’t have to be here and… and tell the internet just how badly I got things…’“

She sighed, bringing a folded piece of paper from off-screen. “There was this… person who was very… um, _instrumental_ in my life. This person was kind, patient, sweet, and they listened to my feelings and never, never made me feel bad for having them. They helped me work through a lot of issues and let me build the confidence I didn’t have at the time. So uh, what do I do to repay them? Nothing,” she sighed heavily. “A-and yet, this person _still cares_!” Her voice broke as she waved the folded letter in front of the camera. “So, nonny, cherish your friends and relationships, and take the time to figure out your feelings and explain to them. Take the time. It is so, so important. Sometimes second chances don’t come at all. Sometimes you feel like you don’t… deserve love or attention, but they… _they_ do, don’t they? Take the time to tell people you… you love them. That you miss them. That even when your… job… keeps you in one place, that your heart is and has been with them. Always. Oh gosh Alya this is… I don’t know. I… is this okay?”

“Oh my god, Marinette, are _you_ okay? This… you know we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Alya said over speakerphone, having listened in to the recording Marinette was doing. “We could choose another question or–”

“No, I… feel like this is important, Als. D-don’t edit this out, actually. It needs to be… authentic, right?”

Alya sighed over the phone. “Girl, I love you, you know? We _really_ don’t have to do this. I mean, we can continue for sure, but you have the final say. I can go through and edit anything you want me to. We don’t have to post it at all. If you do want to post it, I can take it down as soon as you want me to. It’s… it’s all whatever you want to do, alright?”

“I love you too. Thanks, Alya. I… think it’s fine. Let’s continue. Ah-hem. Anyway, hi internet, again, this is Marinette Dupain-Cheng and I am… okayish? Let me take some time to follow my own advice and thank some people, starting with my family! Mom, Dad, Grandma, thank you so much for your love and support. I wouldn’t be where I am today if you all had given me less than 100%. I love you! Thanks to Alya,” Marinette laughed.

“Yeah, you better thank me!” Alya laughed as well. “ _Think of the exposure_ oh god that was horrifying I’m going to edit that out. It was just a joke people! I mean, aww you’re the best, girlfriend!” The ladies laughed harder.

“Yes, thanks for the ‘exposure’, Alya. And for being there for me since we met back in Quatrieme! And for all the shenanigans.”

“Can’t forget the shenanigans,” Alya giggled.

“Thanks to the rest of my friends from College and Lycee and University. I’m incredibly lucky that I have too many to list here, but I love you all. Also, I’m going to totally congratulate Kagami Tsurugi and Adrien Agreste for finally doing what we all saw coming for like 3 years – they got engaged! Oh my god!” Marinette laughed and clapped on camera. “Oh wait, shoot, I don’t know if they wanted that public, oh shoot, oh shoot.”

“Haha, girl chill, I’ll just bleep out the names in editing.”

“Oh thank you. Whoops. Anyway, yaaay to… them! Ah. Yeah. And um. One… last person, but I don’t know if you watch this. If somehow you… do, then. Thank you. For everything. And…” She briefly flashed the folded letter on camera. “I’ll see you soon.”


	22. Gasping for Air

Luka’s letter was scribbled in block letters on the back of a sheet of music staff paper. He was left handed so some of the ink was smudged across the page, but it was still legible.

> _Marinette,_
> 
> _Two weeks ago I saw your Q &A session for Rock Stars of Paris. I asked Jagged if you still did commissions for him and he told me to get on this flight and find out for myself when I land. I agreed because I wanted to see you._
> 
> _I don’t know. Are you the same Marinette? Am I even the same? If nothing else maybe I can find out if we can stand to be in the same room together. If we can’t then, I wish you well and take care. But I want to know you again, if you can let me.  
> _
> 
> _I think I understand a little bit why you kept your distance. But it sucks. I miss you. Enough that I’m coming back to Paris to see you one more time. Let me know if you want it to be the last._
> 
> _Luka_

* * *

“Figures you would know,” Ladybug heaved a sigh. “Well, fine.”

“Not going to deny it?” Luka asked, half a smirk on his face. “I could have been winging it.”

“You? Luka Couffaine, you do not ever _wing_ anything.” Ladybug pushed off the railing and plopped down on a lounge chair next to Luka. “Besides. I get the feeling you’ve known for a long time.”

“Yeah. Since you started Lycee.”

There was a pink flash and Marinette was in pink sweatpants and a grey hoodie. “That song, you were um, playing… it didn’t really sound like a happy song.”

“None of my songs have been for a while.”

“Luka, why me?” Marinette asked quietly.

He chuckled. “I asked myself the same question. I gave up on you a while back. I got a place in New York and decided I’d call it home. I was doing great and having fun, but… I never got anywhere with that third album. It all kind of felt like my music got all tapped out.” He leaned back in the lounge chair. “I tried just forcing myself to make _something_ and… nothing ever felt right. Then Juleka texted me a link to Alya’s vlog and… it was you.”

“It was me?”

“As soon as I heard you… the music came back. I couldn’t stop thinking about getting back here and trying to reach you one more time. I know it sounds stupid, and honestly I’m wondering if I’m going nuts, but… _you_ are the music in my head. No one else, seriously, _no one else_ , has ever hit me as hard as you did.”

“I can’t leave Paris,” Marinette blurted out. “I’m not–I made–this is my choice and my responsibility and I can’t leave Paris and I don’t want to hold you back and I don’t want to get in between you and your dreams so I can’t follow you no matter how much I wish I had–”

“Marinette, breathe,” Luka said gently.

“I can’t,” she breathed. “I… it’s… you…”

“You’re right. Paris needs you. This is your home, and you want to stay here. I get it. I want you to stay here.”

“But… you… um.” Marinette pulled her legs up to her chest. “You’re not here,” she said softly.

“I’m here now.”


	23. Rain

Before the rain started it had felt like a general dampness to both Luka and Marinette. Ignoring it, Marinette had reached over and hesitantly touched his hand, pulling back from basically launching herself at him at the last moment to… ask for permission. He turned his hand over, palm face up, to take her hand in his and he squeezed it, letting her know it was okay.

He was letting her know he was here, in the now, he was listening as he always did, and he was receptive as he always was to whatever she offered.

“Luka, I want you t–” Marinette cut herself off in surprise as a raindrop landed on her nose. In the distance, there was a clap of thunder. The clouds opened up, letting loose their shipment of raindrops onto the early Paris morning. Marinette sighed and pulled her hoodie up over her head.

“The bakery’s close, isn’t it?” Luka chuckled. “You should get going.”

“My apartment’s on the other side of the city,” Marinette groaned. “I’ll be fine if I transform. Hey Tikki, spots–”

There was a pink blob that appeared in front of Marinette. “NO! No, Marinette. I don’t feel ready to transform you back just yet. Why don’t you find someplace to get shelter from the rain and take some more time to talk with Luka?” Tikki looked back and forth from Marinette to Luka.

Fatter drops landed on Marinette’s head and she felt her hoodie wasn’t going to do enough to protect her from the cold. “Are… are you stalling, Tikki?” She asked her kwami incredulously.

The kwami hovered over to Luka. “Hi Luka! Nice to meet you. Don’t you think you and Marinette still have a lot to talk about?!”

“Tikki!” Marinette gasped. “No! We’re–”

“You’re not _only_ Ladybug!” The little kwami shouted at Marinette, much louder than either Luka or Marinette thought possible for the tiny being to be capable of. “You’re _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ first!” Tikki huffed and phased through the floor, disappearing from sight.

Marinette blinked. “Tikki? Tikki where’d you go? Um, Tikki, Spots on?” Nothing happened except that the rain started falling heavier. “Tikki?”

“Let’s go in,” Luka suggested, brushing his now rain-slicked hair out of his face. “We’ll look for her inside.”

“I… okay,” Marinette said, disbelieving that she just got left behind by Tikki. She followed Luka into the hotel. “She’s… never done that before,” Marinette shivered, unconsciously wrapping her arms around herself. “I’ve… never even heard her that upset before!”

Luka looked around for some towels or… something to help Marinette dry off, but there didn’t seem to be anything handy nearby. “I’m going to head to my room and get you some towels, alright?” He took a quick look over her current state. “Actually, why don’t you come with me?”

“T-T-Tikki?” Marinette stuttered, more from the cold than the anxiety slowly creeping in. There wasn’t a reply. “Wow, it’s c-cold. Yeah, if you don’t m-mind I’ll um… t-take you up on that.”

The elevator ride was initially awkward due to her shivering, at least until Luka pulled her into a hug and Marinette… let herself be wrapped up. The elevator doors opened to his floor and he walked them to his door, an arm still draped over the small woman. He let her inside the room and pulled away, heading into the bathroom and grabbing all the unused towels. “Here. I don’t think your hoodie’s doing any good right now,” he sighed, handing her a stack of clean towels.

“Luka? Could… could I stay here for tonight?”


	24. Alone

Marinette rushed to clarify. “Oh! If you don’t mind, I… it doesn’t seem like there was anyone—I mean, I still need to f-find Tikki or let her c-come find me here in the hotel and I don’t have… I don’t know if there’s a room available and I—”

“You can take the bed,” Luka chuckled.

“No, I—”

“Take the bed. Though get yourself dry first.” He walked to his closet and got out another hoodie, recognition hitting him as he saw the faded and cracked kittycorn logo. He smiled to himself, thinking about how long he had it. It probably didn’t even fit him anymore, so he wondered how it got packed into his duffel when he scrambled out the door almost 2 days ago. It’d still be too big on Marinette, but it was better than the currently waterlogged hoodie she brought. “Check this out,” he laughed, turning to face her.

He immediately turned back around.

“Hmm?“ Marinette asked. She had stripped down to her underwear and the thin camisole top she wore was not leaving much to the imagination. She threw her sodden clothes over a towel-covered chair.

“I’m going to leave this here,” he said, setting down the Kitty Section hoodie on the edge of the bed, his throat suddenly feeling oddly constricted. He heard and felt a towel being thrown over his head in reply.

“Aww, it’s the Kitty Section hoodie,” Marinette cooed. “Sorry about the towel, I saw that you’re also pretty drenched yourself. Aren’t _you_ cold?”

“I’m… I guess I am,” he said, still not turning around. There was a small shiver that ran down his spine. He started drying his hair, watching out of the corner of his eye to verify that Marinette took the hoodie.

“I don’t take up much room, soooo if you still wanted to sleep I was thinking you could still have most the bed too, we could share.” Marinette said quietly. “I’m… I’m sorry about just barging in like this. I just wanted…” She sighed, climbing under the covers of the bed. “I’m so sorry,” she said quietly.

Luka’s hair was mostly dry, even though some strands still stuck to places. He added his towel to the pile Marinette had over the desk chair his room came with. He sat down at the edge of the bed and looked over. Marinette was under the covers in a small ball, the hoodie covering most of her face from him. She really didn’t take up much space at all. “What do you think I’m feeling?”

She peeked at him from under the hoodie and he saw hints of red around her eyes. She looked at him for a few seconds before answering. “Jet-lagged?” She joked.

That was true. “What else?”

“Worried,” she whispered.

“Maybe a bit. What else?”

“Sad?” She asked, barely audible.

“No. I’m not sad.” He moved back and laid down next to her on top of the covers. “I was a little angry. You pushed me away for 5 years and then the first time we see each other again you ask me out. Kinda stings.” Marinette nodded and closed her eyes. “But… I was still pretty happy you did. See, I knew that you couldn’t leave Paris. You wanted me to be successful and go wherever I wanted.” Marinette nodded again. “I did. It was all on my own, though.”

“You’re a rock star, Luka. You’ve got so many fans. I… I can’t believe that.”

“I was surrounded by people and I still felt alone.”

“You could have anyone you wanted…” Marinette bit her lip.

“Hmm. I want someone who makes me feel music the same way you do.” He yawned. “There’s only been the one.”


	25. Home

“Are you going to leave again?” Marinette asked quietly. “Y-your home is back in New York, right?”

“I’m here for around two weeks,” Luka said tiredly, yawning again. “Sorry about the yawns. Guess I didn’t get enough sleep.”

Marinette gave a soft, resigned laugh. “That’s okay. Let’s both get some rest, alright?”

“Are you going to be here when I wake up?”

“Yeah, even if Tikki’s back. I’ll be here.”

Luka nodded, more to himself than in acknowledgement. “Marinette, one thing.”

“Hmm?”

“There’s still a lot I need to talk over with you but… Right here? This is a nice start.”

She smiled at him. “I think so too.”

* * *

Luka woke up first. There was a weight on his arm that hadn’t been there before, and he realized at one point or another he managed to get under the covers. He vaguely remembered shivering and someone telling him to do something and… he didn’t know where he was.

Oh. Right.

Marinette was asleep with the Kitty Section hoodie covering half her face, her arms wrapped snugly around his. She had stolen half his pillow for herself and he almost laughed. Then he saw Tikki.

The kwami mimed a shush and floated over to Luka’s other side. “Marinette’s afraid of disappointing you,” Tikki said softly. “When she was younger there was so much to learn, so much to do, and she and Chat Noir had to do it all by themselves. You gave her a safe space, Luka. But she can’t do that for you, and she’s terrified that… that you’ll be tired of supporting her all the time.”

Marinette stirred and grumbled, pressing in tighter around his arm. Tikki and Luka exchanged a look, then the kwami phased through the wall. “Mmn, what time is it…” Marinette yawned.

Luka started to turn to look for the hotel provided clock and Marinette yelped. He snapped back toward her. “Are you alright?”

“Oh! I-I’m okay I… I forgot where I was for a second,” she laughed nervously. She then noticed she was still clutching his arm and pulled her hands back. “Sorry.”

Luka laughed. “It’s fine. I was also confused about where I was when I woke up.”

“Th-thanks for letting me crash here,” Marinette sighed. “I’m… really sorry things happened like this…”

“You know, Marinette, I don’t have a problem with any of this. I don’t want you to feel sorry for it. I’m glad you’re here and I’m glad we’re talking.”

“You’re too nice sometimes,” Marinette shook her head.

“And you worry too much. I want you to… just be yourself around me.”

She snorted. “Me? Be myself? I’m a mess, I’m stressed, and I’m Ladybug. Paris is sometimes on fire and sometimes iced and sometimes covered in stupid… _hormone pollen_ and I’m the only one with the power of setting everything back in its place the way it was before that stupid Butterfly started throwing her stupid butterfly tantrums.”

“But you’re also Marinette Dupain-Cheng, favorite designer and art director of some pretty amazing musical talent,” Luka chuckled. “Don’t forget that.”

“Yeah. More people I can let down,” Marinette said quietly.

“You haven’t. You haven’t let anyone down,” Luka countered. “You’re Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and you… have done more for everyone else in Paris than people can do in their entire lifetimes. You’re also just one woman and I can tell you’re tired.”

“Yeah,” Marinette sighed. “I am. Luka, what makes you think I’m any good for you?”

“You know what I need in life? Music, good food, to be able to play my guitar as loud as I want, and a place to relax and call home. I want a girl that’ll let me have that, someone who’ll talk to me about anything, who’ll let me be moody and pathetic sometimes, who’ll tell me to get my head together when I go too far, who’ll inspire me and encourage me to get better.”

“Hmm… that seems too… laid back for a rock star.”

“It’s not. What do you need in life, Marinette? Outside of Ladybug duties.”

She sighed. “I… don’t know. A home with someone I trust? Maybe a family? I wanna make things people love to wear. I want someone who’ll take me into his arms when I’m cold and tired. Someone who doesn’t mind that I mess up sometimes. Someone who knows I can’t have all the answers. Someone I don’t need to guard myself from. Someone patient and kind and understanding. Someone who gives me space to breathe.”

“Do you want to see if we fit that?”

“You’re going home in 2 weeks,” she said.

“I’m going to New York in two weeks. Home is wherever I want it to be. And maybe it’s here with you.”


	26. Surprise

“How could you say that with a straight face?” Marinette laughed, furrowing her brows. “I swear, Luka, you’re a little too much sometimes. But I can’t let you–”

He frowned and interrupted. “I’m the one choosing this, Marinette. You keep trying to shut me down. Why?”

Marinette reeled back a bit, then curled in on herself a little more. “No one needs to make sacrifices on my behalf,” she whispered. “It’s not fair.”

“Can you let me decide that?”

“I-I don’t want to be held responsible for your happiness–”

Luka interrupted again. “Wait… is that what you think I’m… Huh.” He sat upright and leaned back against the wall. “What happened, Marinette?”

“What do you mean?”

“With Adrien. You two were together, weren’t you?”

Marinette blinked. “With Adrien? No, not at all. Nothing happened.”

Luka sat in silence for a while. “I don’t understand,” he said slowly. “You… five years ago you told me you loved me and then did nothing to back that up. You keep telling me you’re bad for me, basically, and yet you asked me out, came here to see me, you asked me if you could stay in my room. I keep telling you that you’re still the one I want and you’re still trying to convince me I shouldn’t. What are you afraid of, Marinette? What happened?”

It was Marinette’s turn to stay silent. After a few long minutes, she sighed. “It was… I don’t know, 4 years ago? Do you remember when Chat Noir and I announced that we finally took care of Hawkmoth? You were in Japan at the time for your first album.” Luka nodded. “We found out who Hawkmoth was, and… _why_ he was Hawkmoth. Chat and I were… um, well, it’s pretty complicated but he and I… couldn’t really deal with having found out. We both got pretty lost at the time, and it took maybe a year or so to get ourselves back to a place where we could talk again.”

Marinette paused, taking a deep breath.

“Chat was hit pretty hard. Hawkmoth was… is his _father_.”

“Geez,” Luka cringed. “That’s horrible.”

“Ha, yeah. It was. It is. I… had no idea how to help Chat other than to keep anyone else from finding out… Hawkmoth just wanted his wife back. He was so devastated when he lost her that he was willing to terrorize 2 million people for years to have her back. It’s really terrifying, what love can be.”

“That’s not really love, Marinette.”

Marinette raised her eyebrows at him. “You’re telling me it didn’t have elements of love in it? I know Hawkmoth was crazy and I know it’s actually obsession, but it started because he loved her and he lost her, and he had in his possession some crazy powerful magical artifact to help him get something–” Marinette put a hand behind her ear for emphasis. “That offered a solution to his problem. Long, long story short, if you get Ladybug’s earrings and Chat Noir’s ring together, you can make a single wish. For anything that you want. Hawkmoth wanted the woman he loved back.”

Luka contemplated for a bit. “And you think you’re anything like Hawkmoth?”

Marinette smiled ruefully. “More than enough to scare the crap out of me. I… loved Adrien the same kind of obsessive way, you know? But I don’t know how to do it any better, Luka. Love is pretty terrifying, and I’m afraid of love.”


	27. Free

“I’m not asking you or anyone but my therapist to help fix me. I’ve been getting help figuring it all out. I’m just _still_ figuring it out and it’s not… it’s not done. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be done, to be honest.”

Luka remained silent while Marinette had talked. He hadn’t spoken and nearly didn’t respond at all except to turn his gaze up to the ceiling. Marinette wasn’t sure what to think.

“Th-this is what… I was trying to keep you from. I’m… just. A mess, I guess? I mean, I’m probably just… I’m just so. I-I’m not…” She gave up on talking. She knew she scared him. She knew she was… probably making it overwhelmingly obvious that she was broken. That she wasn’t… worth the time or effort. Well, at least he wouldn’t be making the mistake of loving her now.

He sighed. “I left my guitar on the roof.”

Marinette opened her mouth to say something like _So yeah me being a giant mess - that’s was why I’m giving so many different signals_ but what came out was a “Oh…?” She hadn’t expected him to say something completely unrelated to what she had talked about. “Um. Wh-what?”

“I left my guitar on the roof. It’s probably ruined with the rain but…” He shrugged. He checked the room clock, sucked in a breath and let it out. “It’s 2pm. Wanna get lunch?”

Once she was reminded of food, her stomach grumbled. “I… What about your guitar?”

Luka chuckled. “It’s a guitar, I have more of them. I just remembered where I left it when I looked at the ceiling but I’ll get it after lunch. Will you join me?”

“Oh. Yeah. Okay.” She looked over at her clothes. “I think my pants are dry. My hoodie’s probably dry too. Thanks for letting me borrow this,” she said quietly. “Though I might… if you don’t mind, I might just wear this for now?”

“Sure, no problem.”

She looked at him with worry and confusion. “Luka, did any of what I said… Nevermind,” she sighed.

He smiled at her. “I hear you. I listened. I understand. But I’m having a hard time concentrating on what to say when I’m hungry.”

* * *

They had a quick lunch in the fancy hotel restaurant, with Luka seemingly unaffected by the fact that he was joined by a very nervous, slightly disheveled looking small woman wearing his clothes, a pink pair of sweatpants, and hotel provided slippers. There were probably more than a few pictures secretly snapped of them and there would probably be tabloid headlines about Luka’s overnight visitor by that evening if it wasn’t happening right then, but he didn’t care so long as _she_ was alright with everything.

She found herself being more alright than she thought she’d be.

They found his guitar oddly intact and unwarped on the roof, which seemed pretty suspiciously _lucky_. He silently thanked Tikki and plopped back down on the lounge chair he had used hours before, strumming a few chords to start, testing the sound quality. Marinette went back to the railing and leaned against it, looking over Paris. Somehow even in the mid afternoon they were the only two on the roof.

“How many people out there really know what love is?” Luka asked broadly.

“I don’t know, but definitely a lot of people. We’re in Paris, the City of Love!” Marinette laughed.

He hummed in acknowledgement. “Do you want to know what it is to me?”

Marinette nodded, but realized he might not be able to see her. “Yeah,” she said as she turned to him. “I kinda always wondered, actually.”

“It means a lot of things. Passion, compassion, devotion, joy. Good things, good times. Togetherness in the bad. Silence, sometimes. Patience and understanding. Reason, trust, comfort.” He tuned a string, testing the pitch. “The spaces between people. Or time, if not space.”

Marinette smiled to herself, knowing where he was going with it. “I get it. None of those things are scary.”

“Is that how you’d describe it? Love.”

“Oh. Um. Well… mostly? I… guess I never thought about breaking it down like that.”

“Is it missing anything?”

Marinette turned back to look over Paris. “Maybe… maybe some freedom? And responsibility. I know those two don’t really belong together but… I guess they do for me.”

“What do you think about this?” Luka asked, strumming out a brand new tune.

Marinette pulled down the hoodie to hear better and let the gentle breeze flow through her hair. “It feels like it’s saying something familiar.”

“What’s it saying?”

She breathed in deep, letting out a little laugh. “ _Let me be free_ … to love who I am.” Her hair let loose fluttered around her.

“Are you really afraid of love, Marinette?”

“Maybe not yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration music if you don't mind hard-edged electronica: [The Glitch Mob - Carry The Sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6nyIPRRuH4)


	28. Leap

Marinette realized that two weeks was not enough time. Even if she and Luka had spent Fridays and weekends together along with every other spare moment opportunity presented, it felt like it wasn’t enough. The more time they spent with each other, the less it felt like time had passed at all until she had to leave or he had another obligation.

And then all of a sudden his flight to the other side of the world was less than 8 hours away. She had never felt this unprepared. She hugged him tighter against her and pressed her face into his chest, feeling the beat of his heart.

“Did you sleep at all?” Luka asked, slightly groggy as he woke up.

“I got _some_ sleep. Sorry I woke you.”

“I don’t _have_ to go back today,” he yawned, brushing the hair back from her face and angling her chin up. “We could stay here longer.” Luka’s phone then rang with Jagged’s distinct ringtone. Luka sighed, reaching over to silence the call.

It rang again 30 seconds later with the same ringtone. Luka silenced the phone again and turned his phone off. Marinette’s phone started ringing and she laughed. She grabbed her phone and answered the call, pressing her hand against Luka’s mouth to quiet him when he started grumbling. “Good morning Jagged.”

“This is Penny, actually. Thank you for answering, Marinette. It’s 11am and you two need to be at the studio in half an hour. It’s the wrap-up meeting and the final pieces have come in for approval and sign-off.”

“Oh. Umm… alright, thank you Penny.”

Penny sighed. “The car’s coming to pick you up in 15. Don’t be late.” Penny hung up.

Marinette put her phone away and gave Luka a sheepish smile. “We’ve slept in a little late.”

“I’m going to miss waking up like this,” Luka murmured, pulling her on top of him.

Marinette snuggled her face into his chest again, feeling the tears come unbidden. “Me too,” she whispered.

“Something to look forward to when I get back,” he said gently, pulling her up and kissing her.

* * *

Luka spent as little time as possible in the meeting. He was in rare form, barreling through any indecision from Jagged and forcing the older musician to make choices. Once all the final approvals were accounted for, Luka and Marinette stood up, said a cheerful goodbye with hugs, and left.

They got a ride to the boulangerie and grabbed some snacks, having a quick conversation with Tom and Sabine. They spent a few hours with Anarka, Juleka, and Rose. Before Marinette knew it, they were at the airport and in front of the gate security ready to send Luka off.

“Come back home, you jerk,” Juleka sighed as she hugged her brother.

“Love you too,” Luka laughed. He then hugged his mother, who kissed him on the cheek. Finally, it was Marinette’s turn to say goodbye. “I’ll be back before you know it,“ he smiled, pulling her in for a hug.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and stood on her toes, embracing him tighter. She whispered something quiet enough just for him to hear. Then she kissed him, soft and longing and tender.

“This is a lot nicer than it was 5 years ago,” Luka teased.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Do you want me to run for old times’ sake?”

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll see you soon, Marinette.”

She smiled brightly at him. “You will. I’ll be waiting.”


	29. Proposal

Ladybug heard the soft thump of a familiar hero landing behind her. “Hey Chat. How are you doing?”

“Hey Ladybug. I’m alright.” Chat Noir sat on the ledge next to Ladybug, the both of them swinging their legs out over the Eiffel. The late night was softly lit by a half-full moon and the tiny warm lights of homes, which sparkled back up at them from below. “I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to talk.”

“Oh? What’s up, kitty?”

“You heard about me and Kagami?”

“Yes, of course! Congratulations, Adrien. I’m so happy for you!”

“Thanks,” he beamed, his grin wide and relaxed, reminding Ladybug of a much more carefree boy from 5 years ago. “I’m… here to talk about something related to that, actually.” Ladybug gave him a small nod, gesturing for him to continue. “I want to retire from being Chat Noir.”

“Y-you want to stop being Chat Noir?” Ladybug asked, shocked.

“I think it’s time for me to pass the mantle onto someone else. I mean, we’ve done this for nearly a decade, milady. I’m… I think I’ve… I don’t know if I want to hide anything from _my wife_ , you know? I don’t want to hide anything from her. Anymore. And this… this is hard. She doesn’t know where I go and if anything goes wrong she’ll never know if I died or… abandoned her. And when we have kids I’m never, ever going to leave them wondering where their dad is when they need me.”

Ladybug let out a breath she held in. “I’m… I understand. I totally understand.” She laughed a small shaky laugh, then gave him a warm smile. “You know you’ll be missed terribly, kitty.”

“Well, I’m not going to leave you without help, milady. I’ve been doing some scouting, you know? I’ve talked over a few candidates with Plagg and we think we’ve got someone who’ll really knock this black cat Miraculous out of the park.”

“Wait… you’ve already… chosen someone new?”

“Yeah. But you know, someone who’s got their life together already. No kids, I don’t think I’d want to throw a 13 year old against _this_ Butterfly. He’s got a great sense of comedic timing and he’s pretty awesome with a baton.”

“Chat, hold on, you… how long have you been planning this?”

“Maybe a few months. But I’ve been thinking about this since… we found Hawkmoth.”

“Oh.” Ladybug and Chat Noir stared forward into the distance, sitting next to each other in companionable silence like all the other times before. “I trust you, Adrien. If this is your time, then take it and be happy. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for your encouragement and for helping me save Paris time and time again,” Ladybug smiled.

“It’s the same for me. I loved having you by my side all this time.” Chat took Ladybug’s hand and pressed her fingers to his lips one last time. He let go of her hand and looked forward again. “I didn’t want to make this all about me, though. I saw the pictures of you with Luka. About time, by the way,” Chat laughed, nudging her shoulder with his. “Marinette, don’t you think it’s time you moved on from your Ladybug duties too?”

* * *

Marinette had no idea how to properly spy on anyone, if her College days taught her anything. It had taken at least a few weeks of trying to notice people, trying to pay attention to how they helped her up if she had fallen (usually men, and she’d grown to expect at least half of them hitting on her after giving her a hand), how they’d respond to her losing her wallet on the subway, and how they’d respond to other people after she’d theoretically be out of sight.

There were a few candidates, as Chat had called them, that showed more than one-off politeness or biased chivalry or common decency.

One of them was a young schoolteacher. The schoolteacher shared her supplies when Marinette’s pencil bag dropped in between the gap between trains. The schoolteacher routinely made minor, unseen corrections to keep others from getting hurt or walking into traffic. She spent time talking with children, kneeling down and sitting back on her heels to speak at their level, then coming up to speak with their parents. Her name was Lara, and she loved life.

Marinette talked it over with Tikki and Adrien. Étienne was already in play as the new Chat Noir and Marinette thought about how he and Lara would work together, if Lara would accept. Multimouse had been nearby when Lara donned the earrings and basically rocked at being Ladybug. Paris… was going to be just fine, better than fine, with the new heroes.

Not that it stopped Marinette from sobbing over the phone when she called Luka. She really, really needed his hugs, and now she was free to go get them.

* * *

Luka’s call out to Anarka connected. “Hey mom. Doing alright? I heard about the akuma attack on the Seine. Was it nearby?”

“Haha, no my boy no, Liberty’s moored on the other side o’ town so we missed the excitement,” his mom laughed. “I appreciate ya callin’ every time tho. I can now ask if my boy got me a bonnie young lass for another daughter in law?” Anarka laughed over the video chat.

Luka felt heat on his cheeks and the back of his neck. “Not that far yet, mom.”

“Get on it then!” Anarka winked. “Jules and Rosie will need cousins for their little ones.”

“We’ll… work on that.”

Marinette stumbled out of his bedroom with one of his shirts on, rubbing her eyes. “G’mornnng,” she grumbled, walking unsteadily forward to hug him from the side. “Hi Anarka,” she waved at the phone.

“Ahoy, dearie. How’s the Big Apple treatin’ ya?”

“It’s good, I love it.” Marinette giggled. “But coffee. Please,” she whispered to Luka, who leaned in to kiss her forehead.

Anarka heard anyway and laughed again. “The both of ye surprised us stayin’ out there. Will ye be comin’ back any time soon?”

Luka shrugged and put an arm around Marinette’s shoulders. “You’ll be the first to know once we figure it out.”

“It’s only been a year? I don’t wanna move again,” Marinette yawned. “Oh! Not that we don’t love Paris or anything it’s just I really think it’s been a great experience for the both of us to be out here in the middle of–”

“Aye, aye, dearie. I hear ya. Ya can’t blame me for wantin’ my boy comin’ back home sometime, yeah? But ya keep him well, hear me?”

“She does,” Luka chuckled. “I’m in good hands.”

Anarka smiled warmly. “Ye better be. I’ll be off now. Take care, loves.”

Both Luka and Marinette said goodbye and settled down on their couch to drink coffee. “Has it really been a year?” Luka asked. “Do you miss being Ladybug?”

“Not really. It’s good that I’m never far,” Marinette grabbed a pair of sunglasses off the table and twirled it with her fingers while Luka raised an eyebrow. “Don’t give me that look, I haven’t been butting in that often! Recently.” Marinette pouted. “Lara’s doing a great job, don’t you think? Lara and Étienne work together really well.”

“So long as you’re happy with all this,” Luka smiled.

Marinette beamed up at him. “Yeah, I think I am.” She set her coffee down on the table and scooted over on the couch to throw her arms over his shoulders. “I really am.”


End file.
